Co-transplantation of stromal cells interferes with the rejection of allogeneic islet grafts

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Dec:1150:213-6. doi: 10.1196/annals.1447.042.

Abstract

Side effects associated with current immunosuppressive therapy complicate the use of islet transplantation as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have demonstrated immunomodulatory activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a murine stromal cell line affects graft rejection in a fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched islet transplant model. We show that stromal cells have an inhibitory effect on T cell proliferation in vitro, and that they slow down the rejection of allogeneic islets. These findings indicate a possibility to use MSCs as a treatment to prolong the survival of islet grafts.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control*
  • Graft Survival / physiology
  • Immunosuppression Therapy / methods*
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / methods*
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / physiology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Stromal Cells / physiology*
  • Stromal Cells / transplantation*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / physiology
  • Transplantation, Homologous